Deputies: Man Arrested for Training Pit Bulls to Fight

Kershaw County, SC (WLTX)- Nearly two dozen pit bulls have been rescued from a home in Camden and the man responsible for training them to fight is behind bars.

Kershaw County Sheriff's Deputies say 42-year-old Burton Lushawn Mincey is facing 51 charges. Among those, 20 counts of ill treatment of animals, 20 counts of owning an animal for purpose of fighting, possession of a stolen vehicle, narcotics violations and possession of a pistol by a person prohibited.

"It is pretty sickening what you see people do," said Sharon Jones, Director of Walter Crowe Animal Shelter.

Twenty four pit bulls were seized from the Camden home on Tuesday night and not even 24 hours later 2 of the dogs had to be put to sleep.

"They were severely injured because they had been fighting and we couldn't keep them," said Jones.

Kershaw County Sheriff Jim Matthews says someone tipped them off about a possible meth lab and went on a "knock and see" and saw a bunch of dog fighting equipment.

"The dogs had signs of being in a dog fight and some had scared and one of the dogs was missing his upper lip," said Matthews. "I don't treat my animals like that."

Jones talks about the sad reality of not all the dogs making it to adopted homes.

"Pit bulls are wonderful dogs if they are raised right," said Jones. "They came from the worst case but the ones that can't be adopted out will be euthanized."

Jones has high hopes for the three and four day day old puppies and the two six week old puppies.

"Life is good, life is good," said Jones. " You don't have to run and hide anymore."

The Walter Crowe Animal Shelter is housing all of the dogs. The Kershaw County Humane Society is hoping to move into a bigger building in the near future but they still need help from the community. Right now if you contribute to the KCHS, the new shelter will automatically "double the love" through a $1 million matching fund set up by Austin and Lane Meyer.